This Quick Tip for Video concentrates on boom mic techniques
More great tips in Mike's Textbook of Digital Video Production at:
http://www.mikesdvp.com
Thursday, September 16, 2010
5 Fields of View
Over the years I’ve spent in film production, television production and teaching in filmmaking school I’ve found that many television directors, crew members and instructors have different interpretations of the concept “field of view”.
The field of view is simply how much of your subject is shown in the frame. In other words, is the shot very close and only showing a part of the subject or is your camera seemingly far away, enabling your audience to see the whole subject and then some?
When I was a television cameraman a director once told me to get a “big shot”. I had no idea what he meant. I thought a “big shot” was the owner of the television station. Turns out what the director wanted was a close up.
One of my colleagues in film and television school once left a list of shot types in my classroom. There were about 10 fields of view written out but there were no diagrams. It was difficult to determine the small differences from one from the other.
When I teach at film and television school, which I’ve done for over 30 years, I list and demonstrate only five fields of view:
1. Extreme Long Shot (abbreviated ELS). This shot is set up so wide that much more than the main subject is seen in the viewfinder. If it is a man standing in a park you would see the whole person, quite small in the frame, with a lot of scenery around him.
2. Long Shot (abbreviated LS). In this shot the subject comfortably fills the frame. For the man standing in a park, you would zoom in so that, while his feet are still visible, there is only a thin strip of land between his feet and the bottom of the frame. Also, head room is just adequate. Most people are not as wide as they are tall (unless they’re very oddly built), so there will be more room at the sides.
3. Medium or Mid Shot (abbreviated MS). Approximately half of the subject is seen in the frame. The bottom frame is just below or just above the waist (it’s not good to cut a person off at a natural joint like the ankles, knees, waist or neck).
4. Close Up (abbreviated CU). Approximately one quarter of the subject is seen - your basic “head and shoulders” shot.
5. Extreme Close Up (abbreviated ECU). Much less that one quarter of the subject is seen. In the example of the man in the park, an ECU might be the very dramatic shot of just his eyes.
Admittedly, although framing is rather subjective, in my professional opinion, to break this list down into more defined shot descriptions would be pointless. When you’re thinking about how to make videos, these five fields of view are all you need to convey your intentions to your audience.
My digital video production textbook is packed with this and much more information on how to make videos. Check it out at:
http://www.mikesdvp.com
The field of view is simply how much of your subject is shown in the frame. In other words, is the shot very close and only showing a part of the subject or is your camera seemingly far away, enabling your audience to see the whole subject and then some?
When I was a television cameraman a director once told me to get a “big shot”. I had no idea what he meant. I thought a “big shot” was the owner of the television station. Turns out what the director wanted was a close up.
One of my colleagues in film and television school once left a list of shot types in my classroom. There were about 10 fields of view written out but there were no diagrams. It was difficult to determine the small differences from one from the other.
When I teach at film and television school, which I’ve done for over 30 years, I list and demonstrate only five fields of view:
1. Extreme Long Shot (abbreviated ELS). This shot is set up so wide that much more than the main subject is seen in the viewfinder. If it is a man standing in a park you would see the whole person, quite small in the frame, with a lot of scenery around him.
2. Long Shot (abbreviated LS). In this shot the subject comfortably fills the frame. For the man standing in a park, you would zoom in so that, while his feet are still visible, there is only a thin strip of land between his feet and the bottom of the frame. Also, head room is just adequate. Most people are not as wide as they are tall (unless they’re very oddly built), so there will be more room at the sides.
3. Medium or Mid Shot (abbreviated MS). Approximately half of the subject is seen in the frame. The bottom frame is just below or just above the waist (it’s not good to cut a person off at a natural joint like the ankles, knees, waist or neck).
4. Close Up (abbreviated CU). Approximately one quarter of the subject is seen - your basic “head and shoulders” shot.
5. Extreme Close Up (abbreviated ECU). Much less that one quarter of the subject is seen. In the example of the man in the park, an ECU might be the very dramatic shot of just his eyes.
Admittedly, although framing is rather subjective, in my professional opinion, to break this list down into more defined shot descriptions would be pointless. When you’re thinking about how to make videos, these five fields of view are all you need to convey your intentions to your audience.
My digital video production textbook is packed with this and much more information on how to make videos. Check it out at:
http://www.mikesdvp.com
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